Cradle Cap, Seborreah/ Eczema, Will Not Go Away on My 4 Mo. Old

At first I thought that you were talking about my 5 month old. She has really bad eczema on her face. I started just bathing her once a week. I also started putting baby oil on her wet skin. This will help the skin absorb the oil better. Also, I bought baby Aveeno lotion and apply this on her every time I change her diaper. It took a couple of days and it has gotten so much better. I hope this helps you!

You need to take her to a dermatologist and then get a new Pediatrician! Too much benadryl can be very bad for babies.
Aveeno makes a nice oatmeal bath for babies that can soothe her skin temporarily - I use it on my son whenever he gets an allergic rash from playing in tall grass & weeds.
Have you tried Vaseline over the hydrocortizone to seal it in? It's messy but it helps the medicine stay on.
Try an extra rinse cycle on her laundry.

Looks like you're getting lots of great advice! Just wanted to second that Dreft has enzymes, brighteners and possibly softeners in it that could be irritating her skin. Try Charlie's Soap (mail order), Allen's (mail order), Ecos (can get at Costco), Nellies (can get at Elephant Pharm), Planet (I've seen at Safeway?). There's more but these are the most common that I've come across. For more info, go to http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

MelaPower by Melaleuca, by the way, has terrible ratings on the detergent charts I've seen reporting that it contains enzymes, brighteners, dyes and fragrances.

Good luck!

My friend did major research for her son because the doctor said too bad its for life. My son is 5 months old and has it pretty bad too. Whole head and forehead as well as some on his back and a patch on his tummy.
Here is a web site she found.
http://www.eczema.net/child_and_infantile_eczema.html
This is what worked for her son and I am on my 4th day trying. Flax oil by Barlean's its expensive but its the best around. In the refrig section. I got it at Wholefoods. you take this 1 tablespoon per 100 pounds. Its a light nutty taste. I have been mixing it with salsa and eating it with chips since I am 100% nursing. Then she said to use sweet almond oil(wholefoods) on my son's skin. It helps get the dead skin off. Use a baby (soft) brush. The other thing was dairy. I haven't done that yet but I did stopped any caffein just in case its from that too. My son's head looks better (skin is all clean) on the back of his head. I added lavender/tea tree oil(wholefoods) to the sweet almond oil. This helps with itching. I put a good bit on right before bedtime. I also make sure he is wearing socks on his hands to stop the claw marks even thou his nails are beyond short.
I can't say 100 percent since its only been 4 days. She did say if the baby can eat to give them the flax oil I do not know if 4 months is too young she said 6 months is when she gave it to her son. Ask your doctor about this stuff see if they are ok with it.

S.,

I am so sorry your little one is having such a tough time. I would suggest you stop using dreft as it is full of perfumes and use something with a much lower PH. Check out the Melaleuca products, specifically Mela Power their laundry detergent. It is biodegradable, non-toxic and so gentile I use it on my daughter's cloth diapers. It gets everything truly clean and does not irritate anyone's skin. You may also consider changing the soap you are using on her as well as the lotion. I agree you don't want to drug kids up nor do you want to be putting hydracordazone on them for long periods of time. The Koala Pals line of bath products again from Melaleuca is wonderful. You should also try the Renew lotion.

Melaleuca is like Costco, it is a membership company, but the prices are amazing and using non-toxic products really makes a difference. I would be happy to share additional information if you are interested.

www.melaleuca.com

Good luck,
E.

Hi. Ok the cradle cap -here is what I did, I would take a little brush to it and then wash the hair but it eventually goes away but it takes awhile, like after a year old. The baby acne on the face I was told to leave that alone or I would make it worse and it too went away. My son had eczema and it took a long time to figure out what it was and how to treat it. We were told to bath him in luke warm water, use Cetaphil cleanser, and Eurcerin lotion to not dry out the skin. He also was sent to an allergist and had a huge list of food he couldn't eat. Milk and yeast being the big ones. You can try cutting things out of your diet since you are breast feeding, I would try milk first and see if she impoves. Good luck!

Hi S.,
Oh my...I have a 4.5 month old whom has the same thing!! I put in a request months ago, but no one responded. My baby boy at 2 months had the oozzing of the skin around the ears and neck and his entire body dry and red. I went to the Pedetrician and she told me it was ezema. Anyhow, my baby sounds ditto to yours...cradle cap etc... Today my baby has a lot better skin and craddle gap pretty much gone. What I have done, and it took a good 7 days to really see results...and I did not use any drugs(benedryl etc...), but have to continue this everyday. I give a bath twice a day in warm water w/ regualr baby oil (about a TBLS) and pat him dry after wards and mix 1% hydrcortozone OINTMENT (not cream) with Aquaphor OINTMENT and mix the two half/half in my hands and rub all over body... head included. I then put a light cotton onesie with a confy non irritated clothing outfit. Twice a day I have been doing it and the mositure of the water has held in my little guy and the rash...even the ozzy rash has gone away. I now give him a bath once a day, but still rub the ointment twice a day. I can't beleive the difference in his skin. He still has dry hands, but he isn't red anymore and not irritated. My little guy would squirm around and scratch himself all over, I had to use gloves to stop him from scratching his skin. I also breastfeed exclusive and have eliminated milk (I switched to rice milk) and eliminated nuts and chocolate. I find that If I have some chocolate, my baby breaks out the next day on his face. At least I think it is that. Also, if you switch temp. quickly thier skin gets irritated (example dry hot heat to cold air will cause an irritation). I also use dreft on my PJ's, thinking that could help with him not getting irritated. I can't believe that thier isn't much about ezema and how to really make it go away. I have been told they will grow out of it? I hope so, because my first boy, who is now 3, had no skin problems at all. Apparently my husband had ezema when he was a baby and that it can also be genetically linked. Good luck and I hope I was of help.
Remember ointment and not cream, it hold the moisture in thier little bodies. If you find something else that really works, let me know. Don't give up, I am glad I kept at the ointment.
Thanks, H.

Hi S.,
I have a baby girl who will be 3 months on Sunday! I am sorry to hear about your daughter. It's hard to see your baby in pain. My daughter had a mild case of cradle cap and dry skin behind her ears. I have tried Gentle Naturals Disney Baby Cradle Cap Care. It worked pretty good. You can also use olive oil (it's very natural)and leave it on for about 15 minutes and wash it off. I used the olive oild for her dry skin. Another good brand is Mustella. You can buy specific Cradle Cap products and skin care products of theirs. Even Burts Bees products might help with sensitive skin. I hope this helps. You have to give it some time especially if she has it bad. Let me know what worked for you. Good luck :)

Hey there,

A good friend of mine has a 6 month old daughter with what sounds like very similar problems with her skin. Thought it was eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, etc. She tried everything. Finally they tested her (blood test) for allergies. Turns out she is allergic to soy, dairy, wheat (which they found out later), peanuts and shellfish. My friend is breastfeeding and had to eliminate basically everything from her diet. She is now a meat and veggies girl. I hope this is not the case for you, as my friend is having a heck of a time finding stuff to eat, but if you don't find any solutions maybe you can have your daughter tested for allergies.

Good luck!
A.

Hi S.,

I feel for you. Your baby sounds extremely uncomfortable. I am also worried that her skin will become infected. I think you need to get pushier with your doctor. Or, try seeing another doctor.

Two of my children got rashes/eczema from food allergies. For our older son it started at about 4 mo and got progressively worse. The worst patch was on one cheek, and it did get infected. I had been very frustrated by our doctor's lack of action/help. The doctors don't typically bring up allergies because (I think) they don't like the mothers stressing over food and removing foods from their diets. But when he was 9mo (after suffering for 5 months), I asked if he could be allergic to something I was eating. The answer was "maybe". I actually get eczema myself if I eat too much egg, so I started there. I stopped eating any egg, even in baked goods, and within five days my son's rash was totally gone!!!

Our second son got the same type of rash on his face, but much later, from 12mo - 14mo. I wasn't breastfeeding him any more, and based on his older brothers allergies (we discovered he was allergic to many other foods besides egg), we hadn't introduced egg or nuts yet. It turns out it was milk, which didn't make a lot of sense. I had weaned him at 9mo and he had been drinking a dairy based formula with no reaction. But I had switched him to whole milk around his first birthday. After two months of scratching my head trying to figure out what was new, I tried switching him back to the formula. Sure enough, the rash went away. We found that yogurt and cheese also gave him the rash. So we kept him on the formula and avoided all milk products until he was 2 yo, then tried again. The rash did not come back. He's outgrown his allergy to milk already. (Yeah!)

The problem is that there are so many foods it can be, that it is hard to identify the right one. You'd need to try eliminating one food at a time for 2 weeks. The 8 most common foods that cause allergies are: peanuts, tree nuts, egg, dairy, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. If it is a food allergy, I think it's most likely egg or dairy.

If you do find out it is allergies, there is a great on-line support group for parents at www.kidswithfoodallergies.org.

Good luck!
-D.

I too had a child with the cradle cap, especially bad around the ears, with the oozing. My mother & mother in law both told me I should not use shampoo on the baby and only use baby oil all over her body and head. It took about two weeks of regular bathing - no ointments or creams - just pure Johnsons baby oil. Also, no daily baths. I limited the baths to about 4 x week. I always washed down the diaper area daily. It worked it only came back a couple of times, we did the same thing and it went away. I noticed in the winter it really was worse. Dry heat from being indoors. I used a humidifier in her room at night and gave her water to drink during the day in addition to breastmilk.
Hope it works. Patience.

My heart goes out to you! I am the mother of three kids, and my firstborn has eczema. After many doctors visits,creams and treatments here are some secrets that work for us. Vaseline for the skin is the best nonmedicated treatment I have found. If that doesn't work see if you can get a prescription for Elidel. Your baby might be too young still. It is a steroid cream, but works like a charm. Put it on and the rash is gone the next day. Also Aquaphor may help as a moisturizer if the vaseline doesn't help. I also use oatmeal soap. Anything else is too much for her. I did use Ivory for a while as well. Too many baths can add to the problem also. We do every other day. I found for the cradle cap, is to slather on baby oil after you shampoo and gently lift the flakes with a comb or your fingernails. Eventually it will disappear. She is now 6 and the outbreaks are fewer and farther apart. Be careful of diet as well. She doesn't fare well with chocolate, or strawberries. Hope this helps.

Hi S.,

I am from back east and when my son was born he had cradlecap. The doctor told me to use a small amount of aloe vera and rub it in his hair with a cotton ball and it can also be rubbed on the skin. It helped. It sounds like your child may have dry skin and require lotion (non fragrance)
to keep the skin moist.
Congradulations on your baby may your life be filled with many blessings.

P. P in California

Have you tried coconut oil? Sometimes, the synthetic oils (regular baby oil is mainly mineral oil, aka petroleum) aren't all they're cracked up to be. Actual coconut oil is a solid at room temperature, as it melts at 76 degrees F, but it will melt in your hands so you can oil the baby with it. And it is _wonderful_ on skin!

Oh, and I second the notion of using Charlie's soap for laundry! It's the bomb! I started using it for diapers & baby clothes, & now just use it for all the laundry. http://www.charliesoap.com

I would say too much meds! By now, they may be what's causing the rash & itching. Go back to basics. Or try going dairy-free. Maybe she has a dairy allergy.

Hi S.
I use a lotion called Renew, it is better than Eucerin. It is therapeutic and uses only natural ingredients, has been extensively tested. Email me at ____@____.com(cc_underscore) and I can send you a brochure on it. I also have samples I can give you to try. I live in San Ramon, CA

M.
Proud mom of 2 sons

Hi S.,

I have a 48 yr old sister born with eczema, a 40 yr old twin sister who just became infected with all over psoriasis, and a daughter who was diagnosed with a really bad case of eczema at 6 months old.

I have been researching for 10 years. I have come across so much. My 48 yr old sister also has suffered for 15 yrs from a phantom nerve damage disease called RSD. In my quest for a cure for her I came across medical reseach papers that claimed a parasite: spirochette cell wall defecient bacteria (Bb)same one that causes lyme disease, is the cause of many diseases, RSD being one, but also on the list was psoriasis/eczema. So, I gave both of my sisters SAMENTO 2 months ago and also MSM and internal Aloa vera and both sisters are having signs of remission but i think MORE detox needs to be done on them and they are not willing to clean up the diet.

Now, my daughter, she was born with fungus (thrush). She incurred the eczema after shots. I was treating her for fungus and it took the eczema away. Also stopped sugar and milk products, started capylic acid. She hasn't had it since. However, my 8 yr old son just presented with eczema type rash a few days ago! I'm sure it's some kind of toxin/parasite/virus type thing. I'm giving fulvics and SAMENTO and BORAX and also MSM.

There are so many people online that have claimed to cure themselves of eczema (with photos). Many claim it is a toxic buildup inside your body. I would have to agree. The fungus my baby had, candida albicans, gives off highly toxic substances, and can damage the lining of the intestines(leaky gut syndrome)

A man online claimed he cured it with:
1.kidnety flush
2 liver flush
3 pancreatic enzymes (helps leaky gut syndrome)
4.putting affected limbs in very hot water and letting the toxins ooze out.

Another woman online claimed it was toxic leaky gut. This worked for her:
1.omega 3's ( 2 T flax seed oil 2 times day)
2.glyconutrients ( fluvic acid and goji juice)
3.no chlorine in water and ionized water (water alkalization)
4. MSM

Still another claims its parasites and this works wonders for skin ailments :

1 % hydrogen peroxide and boraxo in equal parts ( 2 T in a quart of water, put in sprayer and spray on skin, let air dry ,do not wash off. Also put 1/16 t borax in quart water and drink, every other day.

All three of the last people said a raw fruit, vegetable and nut diet was essential.

If you are breastfeeding you should try to see if any of this protocol can work for you to get you cleaned up and maybe it will help the baby.

Blessings,
Gail

OK...my little one is six months old and we had the same problem almost as severe as you that started at month 2. Her's was so bad that she started loosing pigment on her face. I was terrified she'd be scarred for life. I promise you it will go away --although its a slow process and we are still dealing with it. Here are my suggestions.

a) Change all her baby lotions and cleansers to Cetaphil immediately. Its expensive but worth it you can find large bottles of the cleanser and lotion at Costco. If you live in the area the one in Richmond carries them. Otherwise go to Target --smaller bottles though.

b) Change her laundry soap to liquid ALL CLEAR. Not as nice smelling as Dreft but again you won't have to worry if its something in Dreft. ALL is safe for baby clothes. And use unscented BOUNCE.

c) On the subject of Benadryl, we give our baby Children's Claritin 1x per day and Children's Benadryl 1x at night. Claritin can not be given more than once a day. Ask the Pharmisist the right dosage for your baby's weight and age. This helps with the itching. Our Dr. told us that babies don't understand where they itch so they will pick the place closest to them and scratch away. Its usually their heads. Our baby was pulling out her hair she was so miserable. Once we started giving her medicine it kept the flare ups calm so not as much scratching. We started it last month and did it for 3 weeks straight --the episode was bad. We have since tapered off and I gave it to her two days last week when the weather shifted and she started to flare-up. Once the flare-up calmed down we stopped giving it to her. We don't want her to be dependant on it.

d) Don't bathe the baby everyday, especially during a flare-up. We learned the hard way. The water dries out their skin more. And washing her hair irritated her scalp with all the rubbing. So we bathe her every 2-3 days and she gets a "sponge bath" on non bath days. As she gets older you can adjust this schedule as you see fit.

e) About the scalp. We rubbed olive oil on her scalp every night and morning. Its a natural and it helps keep the scalp moist. Don't try to lift the cradle cap when her scalp is dry. And don't use the over the counter products perfumes and dyes are irritating. I used those and her scalp became more irritated so much so that when I washed her hair she screamed the minute I touched her. You MUST keep the cradle cap off the scalp as much as possible it will spread and cause her hair to fall out. So use olive oil, massage it in (they love that) and lift gently with a fine tooth comb, then rinse with warm water. After you rinse put more olive oil in and let her be till the next round. Don't be obsessive (I was and it makes it worse for them)get as much as you can and try again the next day. Give a regular shampoo on bath days. Always use the olive oil.

d) About her face. At least 4-6 times a day alternate hydrocortisone and auqaphor. This will help soothe her skin. Keep her nails super short and put those baby mitts on her at night. Ours just stopped using them. I don't think you need to use hydrocortisone all over her body just on the "hot spots". Use the Cetaphil lotion on the rest of her body. Do not wipe her face with dry napkins, towel or wipes. Gently use a wet wash cloth and pat her face --no rubbing.

e) Keep her out of direct sunlight. In the beginning my child didn't go anywhere with out a hat. I would let her sit in the carseat without it and then I would drap something to ensure not sun hit her face. www.gottahavahat.com has great baby wide brim hats made of special UV material. Well worth the money. You don't want her to tan during a breakout --scarring may be irriversible depending on her level of skin sensitivity. And yes, people will talk about you --so what. My family still makes fun of me. Its all about the baby.

f) AVOID polyester and fleece as much as possible. If you own something like that make sure she has a cotton onsie underneath so it doesn't touch her skin. They tend to sweat in that material and sweat makes the flare-ups worse.

g) When you see her start trying to scratch use your hands and rub the area for her --like a massage. It redirects her attention and she'll like it. Use this technique when she starts burrowing her face into your clothes or sheets. This behaviour likely means she is itching. Try wet cool towels on her face to help cool the skin and take the itch out.

h) What the cycle of her flare-ups. They will likely get worse when the weather goes from cool to warm, rain to sun or vice versa. Being aware will help you know when to put things into place for her to help the flare-up and her coping skills.

i) Keep your house on the cooler side. Heat and dry air make the problem worse. Even it means running the heat to keep others warm and having a window open.

Our baby has gotten better as she gets older. We are still dealing with it on some level. We use all of the techinques I have suggested and they work. Good luck. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I have a 4 month old with icky skin... but perhaps not as severe as what you describe. Mineral oil on the scalp, etc. didn't do a darn thing for us. What has worked to clear up his scalp a bit is smearing on lots of Aquaphor ointment before bedtime every few nights (a Eucerin product) - then I wash his head gently w/ aveeno baby wash twice to get some of the grease out the next morning. Clears it up for a few days. Also helps with his forehead. I've been using a prescription strength hydrocortisone on the red spots on his face (1 near his ear is the worst) and it goes away for a bit - then comes right on back. The other thing my doc recommend was that I take probiotics (culturelle is the brand name). The idea is that the baby will get the benefit through my breast milk - it may or may not help w/ eczema, but it can't hurt was the idea. I had to stop the past few weeks though because I was on an ANTIbiotic for a secondary bacterial infection in my ear (nice). So I can't vouch for that approach just yet... but the former two were helping.

I represent a company that has a lotion that works really well on eczema, and also has ph balanced laundry detergent, baby shampoo etc. If you are interested in natural products made by a U.S. company that promises never to use toxins, carcinogens or other harsh chemicals, check out my website at www.SwitchingStores.Info. If you request information, I will be the only one to see it. Or you can contact me directly through this site. I would love to help.
J.
P.S. Your daughter may also have wheat and dairy allergies, they are very common. I would try eliminating more foods from your diet to see if her condition gets better.

have you tried changing your laundery soap to maybe ivory rrinsing every thing twice?she may need some antibodics . did you put baby oil on her head for the cradle cap? It usually works well. you don't wash it out you let it soak in and then comb or bush her head.when you do wash her hair the trick is to rinse the soap out IF you don 't rise well the cradle cap does not go a way. are you taking vitamins ? she may have a lack a vitamin . my granddaughter had it we had to stop useing the baby shampoo we were useing.she may have an allergy to some thing you are eating. may be you could keep a food dairy and she if her skin gets better or worse .she is old enough to may statr her own lquid vitamins as well.well I wish you good luck S..

My daughter also had very dry skin and irritated since she was born. She is now 10 weeks old. She would get this odd red rash all over her face and body. Aquaphor worked on her body, but I use calendula cream by California Baby on her face. It cleared it up and you can use it on her body too. I just saw that Target sells California Baby products. Maybe this will work for you.

Hi,

I had the same problem with my daughter. I ended up taking her to an allergist. It turned out that she was allergic to dairy, nuts, eggs, soy, and wheat...all which had to be eliminated from my diet as I was breastfeeding, too. It took care of the problem, but was really difficult!

I hope that your daughter doesn't have a bunch of allergies, but it might be worth it to have her checked by a specialist. Most pediatricians have a lot of knowledge about a wide variety of things, but they don't all know everything about everything. :) That's been my experience, at least. I ended up switching pediatricians, and now have one that is more familiar with allergies.

Good luck.

Amy

I think Holly C. had the best advice. Your diet will be key. My daughter was allergic to all milk products, chocolate, nuts and any oniony or bell peppery thing I ate. I had to switch to laundry soap that was perfume free, dye free, no sodium laurel sulfate- this is key. Tide free for HE washers, Dreft, Mrs. Meyer's Baby are all laundry soaps that worked. My daughter is also has a skin allergy to lavender and calendula. So we had to stay away from essential oils in her bath. We bathed her once a day. We did hydrocortizone, Aquaphor ointment and Cetaphil gentle lotion in equal parts twice a day, mixed in the hand. We used cetaphil gentle cleanser on her and it works really well. You don't even need to use water for Cetaphil to clean them.
I also had to change her bedding and wash her blankets twice a week and we got an air cleaner and humidifier which made a HUGE difference.

Hi S.,

I feel your frustrations and pain for your little girl. Our little girl was born with the same situation and still today at the age of 2 1/2 years she experiences extreme dry skin, now its mainly on her chest which she itches until it bleeds a little. At this point we have lotions to use, mainly Burt's Bee's products. Lotions with chamomile can help ease your baby's discomfort, especially before bed time.
For your baby, I would try using the same product, Burt's Bee's. They carry an oil, I believe it's apricot or something, and I would rub that along with olive oil on Kaia's cradle cap. Using your finger nail's, gently try and scratch away loose skin, without any agression, only remove what is ready to be.
The best remedies are the natural home one's you can come across...all these new meds., ect. just add to the irritations I found. Our bodies do well with what comes from the Earth, google it if you havn't and try and not get too upset with the doctors...they're only human just as we are...keep that in mind! Best of luck and I will look around for more help...I have a few natural healing books that may have some info on the subject. Take care and remember, "this too will pass"...J.

I echo other moms responxe in using a genlter oil than baby oil. We have learned that "baby" on the package does not mean gentle. We use organic olive oil. For itching we use homeopathic calendula ointment or cream. You can get it at Whole Foods or many other helath food stores or even some pharmacies. If you can I would take your daughter to a homeopath or a naturopath. Our oldest had horrible skin problems from birth. We did the hordorcortizone and as he aged got progressively stronger steriods and other prescription medications some of which are now linked to skin cancer. He also was on a whole regimen of antihistamines etc... before his second birthday. I finally took him to a naturopath out of desperation. We had already seen two allergists and a dermatologist. The naturopath suggested some diet changes for me and him (he was still breastfeeding) a homepathich regimen and some other simple changes (soaps etc..) He is now 7 and still has senstivie skin but nothing liek what we wen tthorugh the first two years. When he reacts we usually know what it was to and we can solve the problem quickly.

I haven't had any experience with this - just a little cradle cap on my little one. Perhaps a second opinion might be in order? Maybe a fresh pair of medical eyes might give a better diagnosis or treatment options. Just a thought. I hope your little one gets some relief soon! Good Luck!

D.

I have two boys... both had severe eczema... one from 2mos and the other shortly after he was born. One was so severe he was enrolled in a 3yr eczema study in the Pediatric Dermatology department at Stanford. They still have it but it's well under control... you'd hardly know at all. Here are the things that have worked for us:
Change from Dreft to Planet detergent - it's one of the few that are dye, scent, enzyme and brightener-free. This is for ALL Laundry... you carry your kiddo against your clothes and they need to be safe as well.
Eliminate dryer sheets and fabric softener in favor of vinegar in the rinse cycle - 2 capfuls in the softener cup of your machine or one of those Downy dispenser balls.
Cotton undershirts all the time - especially important under PJs that aren't natural fibers.
Sleep clothes aren't play clothes - keep pollens, pet hairs, etc out of the sleep space (my oldest is allergic to grass).
Wipe/wash hands before naptime or bedtime so if they do scratch in their sleep they aren't adding dirt, germs or allergens to the broken skin.
Cetaphil cleanser is great even w/o water... rub it on and wipe it off with a washcloth. Aquaphor is a great way to keep moisture in after bathtime and also works well to protect trouble areas (like lips/cheeks at mealtime when you'll be wiping a lot). Cetaphil cream has almond oil so unless you're certain nut allergies aren't an issue I wouldn't touch it.
Get blood drawn and have food and environmental allergy panel testing... we would not have suspected egg before getting the testing because it was always a baked-in sub ingredient.
It can take weeks or months to clear up skin issues caused by allergens. Once you've got things all clear you'll occasionally have a recurrence. Don't dismiss a food just because you got a negative blood test result. Eliminate it and then retrial to be sure.

No ideas but definitely don't use the hydrocortisone any more. If cortisone is going to work, you will see results within a few days. Otherwise, it's the wrong med.

I don't think baby oil is a good treatment either. I think your doctor is not well-versed in the skincare department.

Try letting it alone for a few days and see what happens. Acne on newborns is normal and so is cradle cap -- olive oil massage and then shampoo is the best remedy for cradle cap.

We adopted my youngest at 18 weeks. She had the worst case of cradle cap and dry skin I had ever seen. I was told to put baby oil on her daily, but wanted something more natural with fewer additives (perfume, etc), so I used olive oil instead. I just rubbed a little into her scalp and skin daily. I washed her head with a washcloth during bath, but didn't bathe her everyday. It took another month or more, but she got past it.

Beyond using Dreft in the wash, try white vinegar instead of fabric softener. You can add a drop of essential oils if you like, but it doesn't leave any smell and it neutralizes the detergent residues. Put a drop of essential oil (I like lavender for its calming effects) on a sock in the dryer instead of dryer sheets.

HTH

If it is eczema, and you are breastfeeding, it may be tied to the dairy in your diet. I have a friend who's little one had a very bad case of eczema and once she eliminated it, her baby's eczema almost vanished. My daughters both had mild cases of it, with big breakouts here and there. They both kind of "outgrew" it. As they got older, their eczema got less and less. My 1 year old still gets bouts of it on the back of her legs, but is way less than before. Does vaseline help? Also, my doctor recommended not giving baths every night as it drys out their skin more and more. Good luck.

Eczema is often linked to a wheat allergy. It was for my daughter and once I cut it out of my diet (breastfeeding too) it went completely away. Best wishes!

Hi S.,

I'm sorry to hear about what you are going through. Having a new baby is stressful enough without having her be uncomfortable all the time!

My daughter started getting patches of eczema behind the knees and in front of the elbows when she was 2 or 3 months old. I had the same "treat the symptoms" advice from our pediatrician, but I spoke with a mom who advised cutting wheat and dairy from my diet. I did, and the eczema disappeared. I ate a bit of pasta, and a day later, the eczema started to come back, so I knew it really was the wheat that was causing it.

Many people have already written you suggesting dietary changes, but I just want to confirm that it was definitely the wheat that was the major culprit for my daughter. I was able to add dairy back in a few months, but I kept wheat out of my diet for the entire time I was breastfeeding her.

Dairy is another common problem, so I would try completely eliminating both wheat and dairy from your diet for a week and see if you notice any improvement.

If cutting wheat out of your diet helps your daughter but you are having trouble giving up wheat, try substituting spelt flour instead. Many people who cannot tolerate wheat can tolerate spelt. You can get whole-grain spelt flour in bulk at health food stores (and at Whole Foods). I often bake with a combination of spelt and barley flour. Instead of milk, I used vanilla-flavored soy milk on cereal, in coffee, etc. If you need any tips, write me, and I can tell you some.

Best of luck,
J.

My daughter got really bad eczema during her first 2 months after birth. She got it really bad on her forhead, scalp, back of neck. I only used Aveeno Body Wash/Shampoo then Baby Oil to scalp and the Aveeno Lotion (for exzema). It made a difference for her scalp but her neck and face wasn't doing much better. I took her to her pediatrician and she perscribed Desonide 0.05% Lotion (Apply 2 times a day). I am a true believer of Aveeno for Adults & Babys. I get eczema on my arms during the warm weather (sun) and Aveeno is great. Hope this helps.
T.
T.

We battled all those things with our son and at 15 months he still occasionally gets a little bit of cradle cap behind the ear. Here's what got rid of the majority of it:
Bath every evening, followed by LOTS of Aveeno moisturizer for sensitive skin (non-scented) all over with hydrocortisone on the red flare-ups. LOTS of lotion in the morning before changing from PJ's to that day's outfit; more hydrocortisone if necessary. Washed hair only twice per week (water makes it worse) and used Selson Blue (yes, the dandruff shampoo). Scrub in really well and leave it on for 5 minutes. Be careful not to get in your baby's eyes as this is not as delicate as baby shampoo. After you wash hair, use a comb to comb through the scaly skin. I never found that baby oil or vaseline helped at all. Benadryl might help with itching from eczema, but won't help with cradle cap but it is not an allergic response. I would avoid it. Also, remember it's winter so the air is really dry, which makes skin issues worse. Things will get better not only as she ages but also as we get closer to spring and summer. Hope this helps.

My son also has extremely dry skin and constantly scratches and rubs his head on everything.
My Dr gave us a triple antibiotic creme and antibiotics (my sons turned into the virus impetigo) they also gave us another ointment called Mupirocin which seems to work on the individual sores. My Dr also suggested to quit using soap on his head for a little while and just use olive oil to maintain the moisture in his scalp.
Just keep trying different things, not one of these things by themself helped, but collectively they seem to work. You might want to take her back to the Dr to make sure it is not a viral rash.
Always make sure her nails are cut so no bacteria enters her skin if and when she scratches.
We were referred to dermatology to see why our rash keeps occuring.
Keep trying different remedies and hopefully something will work for you

Definatly go and see a dermatologist and/or an allergist. Most of the time, a condition like the one you described is caused by an allergy...the most common being cows milk protein followed by wheat, oats, corn, eggs, soy, and nuts. Ric seems to be okay. I know it is hard, but you will need to try an elimination diet with yourself. I had to eat nothing but steamed rice, meat and steamed squash for 3 weeks before we found out what the problem was....cows milk protein. (I tried it again after being only on that diet and my daughter got a horrible rash, gas, etc.) After that, as long as the CMP was out of my diet I could eat whatever I wanted. I have also seen oats cause this problem in a patient as well. Also, please keep in mind that chronic steroid use can cause changes in the skin such as thickening. I would ask for Eladil or some other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Also, no fabric softener, dryer sheets or detergent that is scented. Dreft can be a waste of money...All free and clear works just as well. Wash everyones clothes in the same soap and double rinse them. The same goes for bedding and blankets. Anything to come in contact with her skin. I hate to say this, but it sounds like your doctor is just giving you a bandaid and not treating the problem. Good luck with your sweet girl!

try using aquaphor by cetaphil. It's hypo allerganic and almost similar to a vaseline consistancy. I use it on my four month old daughter for her DRY skin and cradle cap. Her's it not quite as bad though. Good luck!

38 responses! will make this brief.
my daughter had terrible papular eczema and cradle cap at 3 weeks old. This helped her...

1. Changed from Dreft to All - Free and Clear.
2. Eliminated Dairy, Soy and Eggs from my diet. (Egg whites were the worst trigger)
3. California Baby Calendula cream 8-10 times a day.
4. Apply cream seconds after you dry the skin after bath.
5. Humidifier

My daughter (18 mo) has perfect skin now.
Good luck. It's horrible to see them so miserable!

try omitting milk and cheese from your diet. My girlfriends kids have the same problem. And it was because milk products.

Hi S., please forgive me for being short, I don't have time to write long story, but we were in a similar situation with our baby. Now she is ok, we enjoy life again.
Please call me ###-###-####. A. Bofinger.

I suggest a pediatric dermatologist. My daughter had eczema and I took her to see one. He took care of it very well.

She had VERY sensitive skin. I used to say, "You can look at her and it will turn red," jokingly,but she has seriously sensitive skin.

We used elidel on her skin and the eczema went away. I mean gone. When it would come back, we'd put on the cream for a day or two. Then gone.

It worked. People say, when it works it works. It may not work for everyone, but it worked for our sensitive one.

Stephanie

western medicine does little good with the drugs/surgery approach to 'symptoms'. nature has everything we need. go to the health food store. rosemary oil is good for cradle cap. emu oil and evening primrose oil is good for eczema. there is also a homeopathic cream called florasone that is excellent on eczema, though when my daughter had it so bad behind her knees that it hurt her all the time, i had to put on the florasone then top it off with emu oil to soothe. also, to help calm the itch and irritation of eczema, wrap some oatmeal in a wet washcloth, squeeze it and let it get soaked up enough that it mixes with the water and then put it on the bad spots. it helps a lot. i read the response re: melaleuca products. melaleuca is tea tree oil, and you can get it cheaper at a health food store or at vitacost.com.

My son has problems with eczema and had cradle cap when he was 2-3 mo. Our Dr. prescribed desonide cream. It is very strong but helped greatly. On her body try using eucerin twice a day. Also your baby could have an allergy to something else your eating. Our ped had me eliminate the main ones: milk, eggs, soy, tree nuts, fruit for one week then try adding one back a few days at a time to see which one may be making a difference. Also, don't put soap in her bath water. Put a little on a wash cloth to wash necessary areas.